Internal-combustion engine.



- WWII/III J. LDFTUS.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED ms; 13, 190sv @ZQMZL- sis/ JOHN LOFTUS, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application filed June 13, 1968. Serial No. 438,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LJonn Lorrus, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in multi-piston explosive gas engines,.having a plurality of pistons actuating a single crank shaft, and so arranged that before the pistons reach limits of their working strokes one is given a movement independent of the other.

The invention comprises various details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which 1- Figure l is a vertical central sectional view through the cylinder of the engine, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the outside of the engine. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the pistons, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing the parts of one of the pistons disassen'ihlcd with a valve mounted therein.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by lctteiy'i dcsi' natcs a cylinder having an exhaust port A leading therefrom near one end, anilfll is a valve chamber into which said port leads and is provided with a sliding valve B of the rod 0. A strap 1) is fastened to said rod and has an an ular outlined opening therein, through which the flanged eccentric E passes, which eccentric is mounted upon the end of the crank shaft F which is journalcd in suitable hearings upon the outer surface of the cylinder. and extends through the same. A

holanpcwliecl G is fixed to said crank shaft. An induction valve ll regidatesthe port H in the wall of the cylinder, through which fuel and air are admitted to t'e interior of the latter.

Mounted within the cylinder are the two pistons K and L, the former of which has a .stem K" fixed thereto and one end ot'said stem has a widened portion, the opposite ends of which are guided in the longitudinal grooves N formed in the wall of the cylinder. Said blade has a transverse cam groove or slot 0 formed therein through which the crank portion of said shaft passes and has a play. The second piston L has a hollow stem L telescoping over the stem of the piston K and has a-plate Q fixed thereto, or forming a portion of the stem L, which is also. provided with an elongated cam groove B through which the crank of said shaft passes. It will be observed that the said cam rooves or slots are of difi'ercnt shapes an so arranged that the crank will act upon the marginal -;lges thereof and cause the pistons to move'independently of'each other for a. purpose which will be presently described.

The piston K, details of which are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, is provided with a dircumfe'rential groove K in which a ring K'-' is positioned, said ring being preferably narrower than the width of said groove in which it is positioned and having a play therein. In the marginal edge of the piston are the grooves K into which the radial grooves K formed in the inner surface of the disk K lead. Intermediate the disks K and K is a washer K and about which washer the .ring K is positioned. The disk K which forms a part of the piston K, has a series of notches K in'thc circumfcreme thereof and which are normally closed by the 'ring K who the latter rests in contact with the inner f egof the disk K having the grooves K will allow an open passageway from one side of the piston to the other when the ring K is in the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In order to allow oil to be inserted in the lower ortion of the cylinder and also to PIOVlt e a communication between the ".atcricr of the crank case below the piston and the atmos- The inner face of the diskfK v phere and avoid forinlng'a vacuum in said.

crank case, a pi e A leads through the wall of the cylinder and has a flaring end, as

shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In operation, when the crank shaft is turned in the direction of the hands of a BEST AVAILABLE copy clock or to the right and as the crank shaft moves downward from the position shown in Fig. 2 oi the drawings, the pistons will connnence to separate by the crank hearing against the bottom inclined edge of the slot in the widened portion of the stem of the piston L and which separating of the pis tons will tend to cause a vacuum internmdiatc the latter and. as the space intermediate the pistons comes opposite the inductiph valve ll, the latter will unseat and allow a charge of fuel to he drawn into the space intermediate the pistons. sVhen the crank assumes a position of 130 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 2, the two pistons will he drawn toward -ach other and the gas forced through the passageways in the upper piston into the space at the upper end of the cylinder. ()1: the coatplction of the revolution of the crank shaft, the pistons will compress the charge and the pressure of the compressing of the charge will cause the ring K to seat and close the passageways leading through the piston K. As the charge is compressed and exploded, the impact of the force of the. explosion will exert a working impulse upon the upper piston and the ring K restin upon the upper surface of the disk K, which forms a part of the piston K, will prevent the escape of the charge through the piston. The foregoing operation is repeated during each cycle of the engine. As the charge is compressed and exploded ahovc the pistons, the ring R will re t against the upper surface of the disk K which forms a part of the piston IC and prevent any escape of the charge through the piston. After the charge is exploded and the working impulse imparted to the pistons and the latter are rcatiting their farthest outer limits, the cam which actnatcs the exhaust valve will have uncovcred the. port A and allow the produ ts' of comhustion to escape. the exhaust valve ll closing the port A as the in .v charge is commencing to he compressed. As oil is placed in the lower porttoh of the c \'liudcr, the rotation of the crank therein will cause the lubricant to he agitated sullicicntly to thoroughly luhricatc the inner portion of the cylinder.

.What i claim to he new is:

I. An it ierualcomhnstionengine.comprising a cylinder having a valve regulated xhaust port, a crank shaft mounted in sni'tal le hearings and extending through said (plindcr. a plurality of pistons within the latter adaptcd to move relatively to each other and to separate during the working strokes, a =tcm to ach piston. each of said stems having a widened port ion with a cam slot there.-

in through \\lii=h the crank pin pas es, at

.t'ortling mean-- for causing the pistons to In! c relative to each other, an induction vat-w designed to ;tlo\v l ucl to cutcl th Cylinder between the pistons after the. latter separate, and means toallowing the charge to pass through one piston into the inner portion of the cylinder to he compressed by the pistons, as set forth.

2. Auiuternal combustioneuginecomprising :1 cylinder having a valve regulated exhaust; port, a crank shaft mounted in bear ings and extending th ough the cylinder, a plurality of pl ttmfi within the latter adapted to move relatively to each other and to separate during the working strokes, a stem to each of sa d pistons, each stem having a widened portion. provided with a transverse cam slot through which the crank pin passes to allow for said indcpen ntmovempnts and the separating ot' the pistons, means for guiding the widened portions of said stems, an induction val e in said cylinder adapted to permit the feeding of fuel into the latter and between the pistons after the latter separate, and means t'or allowing the charge of fuel to pass from between the pistons into the inner end of the cylinder to be compressed by the pistons, as set forth. 3. An internal eomlmstiouengine com rising a cylinder having a 'alvc regulatet exhaust port, a crank shaft mounted in suitable hearings and extending through said cylinder, a plurality of pistons within the cylinder adapted to move relatively to each other and to separate during the working strokes, means for allowing a charge of fuel to pass from between the pistons into the inner end of the cylinder to be compressed by said pistons, a stem to each of said pistons, each stem having a widened portion with a transversely disposed cam slot therein, the crank pin passing through said slots, thus forming means for causing the )lhlOIjS to move toward and away from eaelt other, the edges of the slots hearing frietionally against the crank pin to operate the latter. the walls of the cylinder having longitudinal grooves in whi'h the widened portions of the stemsare guided. and an induction valve adapted to allow fuel to he drawn into the cylinder and between the. pistons after the latter separate, as set forth.

4. An internal combustion eugine,comprising a cylinder having a valve-regulated exhaustport, a crank shaft mounted in suitable hearingsand extending through said cylinder, a plurality of pistons within the cylinder. :1 .lt'lll to each of said pistons, one of which is adapted to telescope within the other, each stem having a widened portion provided with a transverse cam slot through which the crank pin passes, said pin cooperating with the edges of the cam slots to move the pistons rel.-ttivt':l v to each other and sepa rate the same during the working strokes, the inner surface of the cylinder provided with l ngitudinal slots in which said widened portions of the stems are guided, a valve- 10 5. An internal combustion engine comprisdcr adapted to move relatively to each othering a cylinder having a valve regulated exhaust port, a crank shaft mounted in suitable hearings and cxtcnding through said cylinder, a plurality of pistons within the cylinand to separate during the working strokes, a stem to each of said pistons. each stem having a widened portion provided with a. cam slot through which the crank pin asses,

slots in the cylinder in which the widencd portions of the :tems are guided, one of said stems being hai -av and in which the other stem is adapti-d to telescope, said cam slots and pin forming means for causing the pistons to move relatively to each other, a circumferential groove in one of the pistons, the wall of which is recessed, a ring seated therein, an induction valve adapted to allow fuel to be fed into the cylinder and intermediate the pistons after the latter separate, the fuel being forced from between the pistons through said groove into the inner end of the cylinder nnmcdiatelv before the compistons as the pistons approach each other, as

set forth.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having a valve regulated exhaust port, a crank shaft mounted in suitable bearings and extending tluou h said c tinder, an eccentric fixed to sai crank sliaft, a strap mounted about the eccentric, connections between said strii p and exhaust valve, a plurality of pistons within the cylinder adapted to move relatively to each other and to separate during the working strokes, a stem to each of said pistons, each stem having a widened portion provided with a cam slot through which the crank pin passes, slots in the cylinder in which the widened portions of the stems are guided, one of said stems being hollow and in which the other stem is adapted to telescope, said cam slots and pin forming means for cans ing the pistons to move relatively to each other, a circumferential roove in one of the pistons, the wall ofw ich is recessed, a. Tring seated therein, an inductionvalve ada ted to allow fuel to be fed into the cylin er and intermediate the pistons after the latter separate, the fuel being forced from be tween the pistons through said groove into the inner end of the cylinder immediately before the commencement of the comprcssion strokes of the pistons as the pistons approach each other, as set, forth.

7. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having a valve regulated exhaust port, a crank shaft mounted in suit able hearings and e tcnding through said cylinder, a. plurality of pistons within the cylinder adapted to move relatively to each other and to mparate during the working strokes, a stem to each of said pistons, each stein having a widened portion provided with a cam slot througl. which the crank pin passes;slots in the cylinder in which the widened portion or the stems are guided, one of said sleins being hollow and in which the other stem is adapted to telescope, said cam slots and pin forming 3 cans for causing the pistons to move relatively to each other, one of said pistons having a circumferential groove with ports leading thereto, a movable ring scateu in said groove and designed to control said ports, an induction valve adapted to fuel to be fed into the cylinder and intermediate the pistons after the latter separate, the fuel being forced from between the pistons through said groove into the inner end of the cylinder immediately before the commencement of the compression atrokcs of the pistons as the pistons approach each other, as set forth.

In an internal combustion engine, the coinoination with a cylinder, a power piston therein and a. crank to which said piston is connected, of an auxiliary piston situated within the cylinder, and a. cam plate connected thereto and ha ing a cam slot through which said crank extends.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, :1 power pisten therein and a crank to which said piston is connected, of an auxiliary piston within said cylinder above the power piston, a stem connected to said auxiliary piston andcxtending Through the power piston, and a cam plate connected to said stem and having a cam slot through which said crank extends.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, 2. power piston therein and a crank to which said piston is connected, of an auxiliary piston within said cylinder above the over piston, a stem connected to said auxiliary piston and extending through the power piston, and a cam plate connected to saidstem and having a cam slot throu h which said crank extends, said cam slot. liming a horizontal portion and an inclined portion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlii; my signature in the presence of two witneses.

. JOHN LOFTUS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. Lor'rus. A. L. Ilofim. 

